The Elevator Pitch, or 30-second Pitch, is the best way to answer many questions: Tell me about yourself.How can I help you? Is there anything else I need to know?

With practice and a little tweaking, your elevator pitch can help you answer all of these questions and, just as importantly, help you relax and gain confidence during the encounter.

Answer these questions and then practice until you are comfortable:-Your Name and what you are currently/most recently doing;-What you are interested in;-Your relevant experience;-The qualities you have that would benefit them.

Write down your answers so you can get as much information in, but then practice out loud so you can edit/rephrase it until you are comfortable.

This is an art and a science- - and there are many ways to have a successful 30-second pitch- - so go ahead and get started.

2 examples:College Student:-Your Name and what you are currently/most recently doing: "Hi, I’m John Doe and I am currently a Senior majoring in Economics."-What you are interested in: “I am interested in commercial and corporate banking programs, analyst or research roles in public companies, and associate positions with public policy organizations."-Your relevant experience: "I had an internship last summer with XYZ organization where I researched and analyzed customer data and prepared client reports. I really enjoyed the research and the client interactions."-The qualities you have that would benefit them: “I am analytical, thorough and have a strong understanding of client relations. My courses and work experience have prepared me to quickly become a contributing member of​ the team."

Employed:Your Name and what you are currently/most recently doing: “Hi, I’m Jane Doe and I am currently an Associate in the Communications Department of 123 Corporation."-What you are interested in: "I work with Internal Communications and am interested in moving into external relations, crisis management or PR."-Your relevant experience: “I am responsible for all employee communications and have pitched-in to help internal crisis management. I also worked closely with the external relations team on the ABC project."-The qualities you have that would benefit them: “I am highly organized, responsive and efficient. I consider myself a strong communicator because I enjoy the “listening” part of the job. I have 3 years of experience in a top-notch Communications Department and know that will enable me to transition easily."

Quick excerpts below about favorite interview questions- – and they end up being easy when you know your skills, strengths and values!“So fast-forward three years. You’re talking to your best friends and you’re reflecting on your career the last few years and you tell them, ‘Hey, this has been an amazing experience at this company because of X.’ ” And then I’ll ask: “What is X? What would you tell your best friends that that is?”Then I’d ask another best-friends question: “If I were to ask those same three best friends to use one word to describe you, and they can’t use the same word, what’s the one word each would say? What are the three words?”What’s funny about that question is how many people can’t describe it in a word. Everyone wants to give a paragraph of characteristics and traits. I actually love the people who just sit there and take 30 seconds to think and then just give me three words. Or I had one sales candidate say to me recently, “Well my husband’s my best friend and he would say ‘bossy.’ ” Which I thought was a great answer. And then I always ask on the heels of that: “What word would you use to describe yourself? Is it one of those words or something else?”First published on MyCareerCatapult blog.

3 TIPS FOR SELLING YOURSELF1. Know exactly where you want to go. You need to know exactly what you want to achieve or no one can help you get there. Your elevator pitch should answer three questions: Who are you? What do you do? Where do you want to go, or what are you looking for?2. Eliminate Jargon.A good strategy is to imagine explaining what you do to your parents and using a similar formula in your elevator pitch. Making sure your pitch is in layman’s terms is especially critical for those in accounting, finance, and technology.Dumbing down complex ideas is a “real art,” says McDonald. You need to be able to explain what you do and who you are in a way that appeals to most people. This means avoiding acronyms or terminology that wouldn’t be understood by someone outside of your industry.3. Pitch it to your friends and colleagues.Keep practicing and tweaking your pitch until it’s natural for you to say aloud and convincing to the listener. After you’ve got your story down, practice your elevator pitch with friends and colleagues. Ask them to give you feedback. Ask them what you should do to make it better.“Most people can’t present what they’ve done effectively,” Paul McDonald, a senior executive director at staffing firm Robert Half, tells Business Insider. “They’re not used to giving sound bites of what they do.”First published on MyCareerCatapult blog. Thank you to Buisness Insider for the article below which inspired our top 3 tips. Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-tell-your-story-in-30-seconds-2013-11#ixzz2kf4xxdqV

Changing jobs is easier than you think- - with the right Job Search Coach. Invest in yourself and find the jobs and companies that will keep you interested. Check out ePropelr.com for job search coaching; resume, interview and Linkedin help; and career ideas.

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Terry Patrick Walton is the founder of 20sEmpowered and MyCareerCatapult.com.

As an experienced career coach and former partner with international executive search firm Hedrick & Struggles, Terry has a track record of helping people Power the Potential in their lives, careers, and world.